Occult Hip Fractures in Elderly Patients: Is CT Enough?

An elderly patient who presents with a painful hip following a fall or low-level trauma is an increasingly common scenario faced by Gen Med (Los Angel) icine physicians. In the past, almost all such patients were evaluated and diagnosed in the Emergency Department. In the modern era of rapid transit through our Emergency Departments and the advent of acute medical assessment units, many general physicians will be faced with such patients. General physicians will require the necessary skills to confidently exclude occult hip fractures and understand the pros and cons of various imaging modalities.